Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has abused her power to appoint members to the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission by ONLY appointing Democrats to the body selecting Supreme Court nominees. Gov. Sebelius has only appointed Democrats to all four of the non-attorney members of this Commission.
With the Kansas Bar Association picking the other four members, the political makeup of the Supreme Court Nominating Commission shows six Democrats and two Republicans. Or, if the chair of the Commission is included, the makeup is six Democrats and three Republicans.
The political makeup of this commission does not reflect the political makeup of Kansas, which has 27% Democrats and 45% Republicans with about 27% unaffiliated voters.
As shown below, Sebelius received over $29,000 in campaign contributions from the members of the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, their spouses, or related businesses.
A 2005 Topeka Capital-Journal article commented that “Fewer state bar members belly up for court vacancy” when only 13 applicants were received to be on the state’s high court. Where is the commentary in Kansas about why there were only 8 applicants in 2008 to fill the seat of retiring Chief Justice Kay McFarland? A recent Meadowlark article reviewed the 3 finalists from this small field of 8: Whom will Sebelius appoint to Kansas Supreme Court? A judge or Obama/Sebelius donor?
With Gov. Sebelius stacking the nominating commission with only Democrats, isn’t the small number of applicants for the high court an indication of the unfairness of the current system? More don’t apply, and especially more Republicans don’t apply, since they think the outcome might be rigged?
Gov. Sebelius seems to be looking at the Supreme Court as an extension of her political power, instead of an unbiased court system for the citizens of Kansas. We need reform on how our Supreme Court judges are selected in Kansas.
Political details of all members of the Commission are shown below, including party, and known political contributions.
Attorneys
Chairman
Richard C Hite, Republican, 80, Wichita. Term expires June 30, 2009.
Member since 2001. Term expires June 30, 2009
Also Commissioner on Advisory Committee on Uniform State Laws
Contributor to:
- D. Randy Brown [D] $200 ‘04 [Brown's wife, Linda Parks, works at Richard Hite's law firm; also see Lee Woodard below.]
- Praeger [R] (from law firm) $1000 ‘03
- Graves [R] $100 ‘94, $100 ‘98
- Wint Winter, Jr [R] $350 ‘94
Also see:
District 1.
Kerry E. McQueen, Republican, 69, Liberal. Term expires June 30, 2011.
State Board of Examiners of Court Reporters.
Fort Hays State University Foundation, Past Chair.
Contributor to:
- Sally Cauble [R], $350, ‘05-’06
- Carl Holmes [R], $375, ‘03, ‘96
- Steve Irsik [D], $200, ‘00
- Bill Graves [R], $100, ‘97-’98
- Carla Stovall [R], $100, ‘97
District 2.
Patricia E. Riley, Democrat, 59, Topeka. Term expires June 30, 2011.
Contributor to:
- Nancy Boyda [D] $1500 ‘04 ‘06 ‘07
- Paul Morrison [D] $1100
- Kathleen Sebelius [D] $5000 ‘00-’05
- Laura Kelly [D], $200, ‘03-’04
- Joan Wagnon [D], $100 ‘93 (with husband Wesley)
- Sally Thompson [D}, $500 (with husband Wesley)
- Jim Slattery [D] $500, ‘93 (with husband Wesley)
- Dennis Moore [D] $1250, ‘98, ‘99, ‘03
- DNC, $500, ‘03-’04
Other contributions by husband, Wes Weathers [D]:
- Kansas Democratic State Committee, $750, ‘07, ‘05
- Nancy Boyda, $500 ‘06
- John Kerry [D], $2000 ‘04
- Dennis Moore [D], $500 ‘06, $2750 ‘98-’04
- Jill Docking [D], $500 ‘96
- Kathleen Sebelius [D], $5750 94-’96
District 3.
Matthew D. Keenan, Republican, 50, Leawood. Term expires June 30, 2012.
Contributor to:
- Martin Keenan [D], $150 ‘04, $650 ‘06
- Jeff Colyer [R], $250 ‘02
- Greg Musil [R], $200 ‘00
- Kansas Republican State Committee, $1000 ‘00
- Pat Roberts [R], $250 ‘95
- Wint Winter, Jr [R], $100 ‘94
- Carla Stovall [R], $100 ‘94
- Fred Kerr [R], $100 ‘94 (with wife Lori E), $100 ‘02
- Bill Graves [R], $100 ‘93
Other contributions by wife, Lori E Keenan [R]:
- Paul Morrison [D], $100 ‘06
- Kathleen Sebelius [D], $250 ‘06
District 4.
Lee H. Woodard, Democrat, 73, Wichita. Term expires June 30, 2009.
Contributor to:
- Morrison [D], $500, ‘06
- D. Randy Brown [D], $50, ‘04 [See Hite above]
- Firestone [D], $50, ‘04
- Carlos Nolla [D], $450, ‘02
- Nat’l Republican Congressional Committee, $300, ‘02
Law firm Woodard, Hernandez, Roth & Day gave to:
- Sedgwick County Democratic Party, $500, ‘05-’06
- Sebelius [D], $4750, ‘98-’06
- Graves [R], $2100, ‘95-’98
Member since 2001.
“It’s the 2005 Weepers,” Wichita Eagle, Dec. 31, 2005: To the Wichita Bar Association and attorney Lee H. Woodard, who, despite the pleas from community groups and generous monetary offers, bulldozed the historic Fidelity Title building downtown to make way for a handful of parking spaces.
Non-Attorneys
District 1.
Janet A. Juhnke, Democrat, 66, Salina. Term expires June 30, 2011.
Contributor to:
- Sebelius [D], $150, ‘02, ‘06
- Saline County Democratic Party, $100, ‘06
Appointed by Sebelius in 2006 for four year term.
Also see:
- Sebelius Replaces Appointee to Supreme Court Nominating Commission After 42 Days, Kansas Meadowlark, Aug 13, 2006, Salina Journal Blog
District 2.
Dale E. Cushinberry, Democrat, 61, Topeka. Term expires June 30, 2011
No known political contributions
In Topeka, as many as 123 Hispanic students were absent from Highland Park High School on Monday …Principal Dale Cushinberry … attended the protest to support students carrying Mexican flags April 11, 2006
Re-appointed by Sebelius in 2007.
District 3.
Katherine DeBruce, Democrat, 57, Mission Hills. Term expires June 30, 2012.
Contributor to:
- Kathleen Sebelius [D], $1000 ‘06
- Terrie Huntington [R], $1000 ‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘0 (with husband, Paul)
Contributions by husband, Paul DeBruce (unregistered voter?):
- Kathleen Sebelius [D], $2000 ‘05, $2000 ‘07
- Paul Morrison [D], $2000 ‘06
- David Wysong [R], $250 ‘04
Contributions by DeBruce Grain, Inc.
- Kathleen Sebelius [D], $8000 ‘02 ‘03 ‘06
- Kansas Democratic Party, $5166 ‘06 (in-kind plane travel)
- Paul Morrison [D], $2000 ‘06
- Dean Newton [R], $500 ‘03
- Dave Kerr [R], $2000 ‘02
- Bill Graves [R], $500 ‘94
Appointed by Sebelius in 2008.
Also see:
- Did $13,000 given to Gov. Sebelius play part in Supreme Court Nominating Commission appointment?, Kansas Meadowlark, June 28, 2008.
District 4.
Dr. David N. Farnsworth, Democrat, 79, Wichita. Term expires June 30, 2009.
Contributor to:
- Sebelius [D], $250 ‘06
- Sedgwick County Democratic Party, $275, ‘05
- ProKanDo PAC, $100, ‘04 (3/16/2004)
- Knight [R], $300, ‘02, ‘04
- Stockwell [D], $150, ‘02
- Graves [R], $100, ‘98
Appointed by Sebelius in 2005.
Also see:
- “Retired Dean Chosen to Pick Justices”, Wichita Eagle, July 26, 2005
Related:
- List of members of Supreme Court Nominating Commission
- Judgepedia: Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission
- Whom will Sebelius appoint to Kansas Supreme Court? A judge or Obama/Sebelius donor?, Kansas Meadowlark, Dec 8, 2008.
- Did $13,000 given to Gov. Sebelius play part in Supreme Court Nominating Commission appointment?, Kansas Meadowlark, June 28, 2008.
- Gov. Sebelius appoints new District Court judge – one of her political contributors, Kansas Meadowlark, June 5, 2008.
- Selection to the Kansas Supreme Court, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, Stephen Ware, KU School of Law, Nov 26, 2007.
- Governor Sebelius Rewards $13,700 Democratic Donor with Johnson County District Judgeship, Kansas Meadowlark, Aug 7, 2007.
- Updated Political Profile of Members of the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission, Kansas Meadowlark, Dec 16, 2007.
- Sebelius continues packing Kansas Supreme Court with Democrats: 5 Democrats Vs. 2 Republicans when Kansas has only 27% Democrats!, Kansas Meadowlark, July 22, 2005.
- Sebelius seeks minority judges, Topeka-Capital Journal, Feb 10, 2003. [Why so few new minority judges?]
Tags: Kathleen Sebelius, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Nominating Commission
